It looks like Windows 8 users won’t need to spend a cent to get the next version of Windows, according to a report.
Andreas Diantoro, president of Microsoft Indonesia, recently said that Windows 9 will be a free upgrade for Windows 8 users, according to Indonesian online news site Detik.com (via BGR).
News that Microsoft is offering Windows 9 as a free product had been rumored earlier by Russian site WZOR.
However, WZOR claims that only Windows 8.1 users will get the free update, while those with a retail or OEM version of Windows 8 will get their update for $20.
Microsoft will also come up with an “awesome” offer for Windows XP users to get them to move away from the unsupported desktop OS.
If this move comes to pass, then Microsoft will be joining the likes of Apple and Google in rolling out free OS updates, at least for some users.
Microsoft is expected to release a “Windows Technical Preview” beta to developers at a September 30 conference in San Francisco.
Windows 9 should see the return of the iconic Start menu, offer a new Windows Update feature that allows users to easily update from one Windows build to another, and bring Windows Phone Cortana voice-activated personal digital assistant app to the desktop.
Other features include an updated Notification Center and virtual desktops.
